Farewell
by Hipolita Ravenchild
Summary: Now, we all know that Remus MUST have fallen in love somewhere along the line. So, where is his lady? It seems his last encounter with her was on one lovely autumn day...


~Farewell~  
  
Author's Note: Hello, dear readers. Most of you don't know me...but for those of you who do, I'm getting the next chapter of "The Sisterhood" up soon. Possibly even today, should I have a breakthrough of inspiration. *Gets on her knees and prays for inspiration.*  
  
Anyway...This story is about Remus Lupin and some random charater that I made up. It occurs to me that the other Marauders must have had love interests (besides Peter. Nobody in thier right mind would touch him with a 10 ft pole.) I warn you now: This story is going to be amazingly corny and very sad. I won't spoil it for you by telling you how. Grab your tissues!  
  
*Disclaimer* I do not own Harry Potter. That much is obvious. I also do not own the song Ashokan Farewell. If you wish to sue, please wait untill I become an attorney. Thank you.  
  
  
  
Remus breathed in the cool autumn air. The leaves had shown thier best colors this year. Bright reds, yellows, oranges...with brown and green mixed in here and there. Autumn had to be his favorite season. Not to mention that ~she~ was named in honor of it. He allowed the goofy love-sick smile to consume his face. The name fitted her beautifully. Her silky chesnut hair, deep green eyes, and the dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks...  
  
She had asked him to meet her here. It was their spot, claimed in their early years at Hogwarts. Even Sirius, in all his mischeviousness, never encroached upon them here. He came upon the small clump of trees and smiled. The sun was setting over the tree tops. She was standing there, in robes of maroon, leaning against the tree that they had first kissed under. Her eyes were closed, and she looked to be dozing lightly. Remus used his wolfish ability to stalk up to her quietly, barely rustling the carpet of leaves under his feet. When he got close enough, he placed a tender kiss on her forehead.  
  
Hunter green eyes opened.  
  
~The sun is sinking low in the sky above Ashokan.  
The pines and the willows know soon we will part.  
There's a whisper in the wind, of promises unspoken,  
And a love that will always remain in my heart.  
  
Tears brimmed in her eyes as she smiled sadly at him. His face went from loving affection to concern. He took her hand and they sank down onto the ground. The upset leaves settled in her hair and he gently removed them.  
  
"What's the matter, love?" He asked gently, gazing into her eyes.  
  
"Oh, Remus," she sighed. How could she tell him...  
  
He squeezed her hand in an effort to give her the strength to continue. She sighed once more and began what would prove the hardest sentence she had ever uttered.  
  
"I have to go, Remus."  
  
"Go where, darling?"  
  
"Back to Ireland."  
  
"Oh. Well, that doesn't matter. I'll go with you."  
  
"No, no. You don't understand." She stared into the distance.  
  
~My thoughts will return to the sound of your laughter,  
The magic of moving as one,  
And a time we'll remember long ever after  
The moonlight and music and dancing are done.  
  
Her mind drifted back to that evening. She had been out walking...Everyone else was inside at the Harvest Ball. She, of course, had turned down everyone that had asked her because she thought them too rude, or arrogant, or just plain stupid. The one person that she had wanted to ask her never did. She allowed her mind to cloud and images of his grey eyes and sandy hair formed as they had been imprinted on her heart. She sank under a particularly beautiful tree...completely yellow. No other colors tainted it. As her eyes began to blurr, a hand appeared in front of them.  
  
"Why aren't you at the Ball, Autumn?" his kind voice had asked.  
  
"Don't have a date."   
  
"Didn't Andrew Wood ask you last week?"  
  
"Couldn't bring myself to go with him."  
  
"I see. So some other gentleman has captured the heart of the Fall?"  
  
She smiled and gently nodded.  
  
"Well, would you mind too terribly if I stole a dance?"  
  
"Stealing is against the law. You Marauders...always breaking the rules."  
  
He laughed. She realized how beautful and dear that sound was to her. He didn't do it often, and his voice was so light...it had just the right amount of depth to make most females swoon.  
  
"Could I beg you for a dance then?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose."  
  
She rose and he guided her to his arms. A gentle waltz floated on the breeze from the castle, and this is what they danced to. It amazed her how well they fit together. They moved as one entity instead of as the two clumsy teenagers that they were. She smiled as she noted quietly that he smelled of earth and the fragrance after a soft rain. A dream-like magic overcame her senses. She felt as if she were floating on one of the many leaves that fell quitely to the ground. She just hoped that she would never have to land as the others did.  
  
  
  
"What don't I understand?" He repeated to her, a bit louder than the first three times he had said it.  
  
She looked up at him. He had gotten older, just as James and Lily and Sirius had. They had all aged as Voldemort rose steadily to power. Now, Lily and James had just gone into hiding with their newborn child and Sirius and Remus were doing their best to help. There was some other man involved, but he wasn't important...She wondered if any of them would ever be the same again.  
  
~Will we climb the hills once more?  
Will we walk the woods together?  
Will I feel you hold me close once again?  
Will every song we've sung stay with us forever?  
Will you dance in my dreams or my arms untill then?  
  
"You're needed here, Remus. Lily and James need you. My family needs me in Ireland, since Mum was murdered. I have to find who did it, Remus. You can understand that."  
  
"Yes, of course I can. What I don't understand is why I can't go with you. James and Lily are two grown people...and they have Sirius and Peter. I can go and help you. We can be together."  
  
"Remus, would you ever forgive yourself if something was to happen to Lily and James because you weren't there?"  
  
He thought for a moment. Defeated, he said, "No. No, I couldn't."  
  
She smiled sadly again. Losing herself in his light gray eyes, she caught his lips in one last passionate kiss. She stood to go.  
  
"Autumn..." he whispered.  
  
As she walked away, the wind blew the leaves in her wake. He watched her, crying, until she could no longer be seen. Somehow, he knew that he wouldn't be seeing her soon, if ever again. He sat there, under their tree, untill long after the moon had risen. Even this scene reminded him of her. Everything reminded him of her.  
  
~Under the moon the mountains lie sleeping  
Over the lake stars shine.  
They wonder if you and I will be keeping  
The magic and music, or leave them behind.  
  
As he watched a leaf gently light on the ground, he could have sworn he heard...  
  
"Farewell."  
  
  
Author's Note: Yes, another one. I guess I'm just long-winded. Well, what do you folks think? Should I write a sequal? Are you guys going to murder me for writing this before next chapter of the Sisterhood? Let me know! (So I can run fast and far.) 


End file.
